A hit intended against an alleged former gang member but which resulted in hitmen shooting up the wrong house and killing a Saskatoon mother was ordered by Joshua Petrin, a Crown witness told court Tuesday.

The witness, whose identity is protected under a publication ban, was taking the stand on day two of Petrin’s first-degree murder trial at Saskatoon’s Court of Queen’s Bench.

Petrin is accused in the death of Lorry Ann Santos, a 34-year-old mother of four who was shot and killed inside her home in Saskatoon’s Westview neighbourhood on Sept. 12, 2012. Police said she was gunned down by members of an Alberta gang called the White Boy Posse, who were trying to infiltrate the Saskatoon drug trade but hit the wrong house.

The Crown’s witness told court Petrin ordered the hit that led to Santos’ death.

A man named TJ Cromartie was the intended target, according to the witness. Cromartie had left the gang, which was seen as an act of betrayal.

“The only way out is in a body bag,” the witness recalled Petrin telling him.

The witness initially told court Petrin was the “boss” of the White Boy Posse but said later during cross examination he didn’t know the true leaders of the gang.

The White Boy Posse was primarily involved in drug dealing and the group was trying to expand into Saskatoon, he said.

On Monday, on the trial’s first day at Saskatoon’s Court of Queen’s Bench, court was shown images of bullet fragments littering the house and of holes in the windows and walls.

Bullets were fired from more than one direction and from more than one weapon, court heard.

Several police officers who took part in the investigation testified. One who responded to the scene recalled arriving to find Santos lying on the floor, with her family standing around her and frantically screaming.

Petrin was one of three men arrested after the shooting.

The other two were found guilty in the case in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Both were sentenced to life in prison — though one has since appealed his conviction.

Petrin’s trial is expected to wrap up within two weeks, according to defence lawyers. The trial had been delayed by about a year because of a conflict of interest with a previous defence lawyer.

--- based on a report from CTV Saskatoon's Calvin To.